Yesterday
by as-oursilversea-rises
Summary: Of course she knew him. His little brother was one of her best friends. He was, as her sister would put it, the cutest boy in Tulsa. How could she not know Sodapop Curtis? He'd heard of her, too. But only from his brother talking about her. There was definitely nothing extraordinary about Katie Bailey so how on Earth did Tulsa's angel fall for her?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _The Outsiders._

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_Atticus said to Jem one day, "I'd rather you shot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you'll go after birds. Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I—_

"Katherine!" a far too familiar voice called. I ignored it.

_That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I asked Miss Maudie about it. "Your father's right," she said. "Mockingbirds don't do one thing except make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corn cribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to—_

"KATHERINE!"

I sighed and slammed my book shut. I'd already read it twice before but I always hated getting interrupted. Especially by my sister.

My door burst open to reveal the tall, blue-eyed, and beautiful Rebecca Bailey, aka, my big sister.

"What is it?" I asked, looking up from where I sat on my bed cross-legged, leaning against the dozen pillows I had stacked up behind me.

She looked like she was about to say something before she stopped and looked around my small room. "What are you doing?"

"Reading," I said, as if it weren't obvious.

"Whatever," she rolled her eyes like she thought I couldn't see her. "Mom's paying me to take you out later. You should start getting ready now. I gotta meet Darlene at the drive-in by eight and I'm not going to let you make me late." Like I'm the one that takes two hours to do my hair.

I groaned. "Just tell Mom I don't feel good. I have a stomach ache or something like that," I said, thinking the conversation may end there.

"No can do, sis. Mom wants you out of this house tonight. She thinks you'll die if you spend another night locked up in this room."

"Okay, whatever. What are we going to see, anyways?"

Rebecca shrugged. "Whatever it is that Ponyboy Curtis boy is going to see," she answered, erupting into a fit of giggles.

I resisted the urge to shake my head and mutter something I'd regret. Ponyboy happened to be one of my best friends from school. Not that my sister knew that. She didn't know much about anything in my life.

"Isn't Ponyboy a little young for you, Beck? He's barely fifteen."

"He'll be a sophomore in the fall, won't he? Isn't he your age?"

"No, he skipped a grade. He's a year younger. Besides, I thought you liked older guys."

She swatted a manicured hand in the air. "Puh-lese, Katherine. He's not that much younger than me. Since when do you care, anyways?"

"I don't," I replied. "Don't worry, I'll be ready on time."

"Okay, Katherine," she said, and was about to turn around and close the door when her eyes flashed back to the book in my hand. "Hey, haven't you already ready that? How do you re-read all these books? I could barely read them to begin with."

I shrugged. "Super power, I guess."

She rolled her eyes one more time before finally leaving me alone.

I sighed to myself. "This should be fun."

I put my book on my nightstand and pushed myself off the mattress.

I'd barely been out of the house since school got out. It'd barely been a week but the only time I'd really left the house was to go grocery shopping with my mother and to get the mail a few times. My mother had been bugging me to call up some friends and go outside but I just hadn't gotten around to it yet.

I decided against just going to the movies in the baggy gray sweats and old blue T-shirt I was already wearing. Rebecca would never let me leave the house with her while I was dressed like that. So I pulled a light blue dress that fell to my knees out of my closet along with a cardigan and changed. I pulled my curly blonde hair out of its ponytail and ran my fingers through it a couple times deciding it looked fine the way it was. I wasn't much of a style expert. That was Rebecca. I was more the book junkie who studied too much and stayed at home on Saturday nights watching movies with her mom.

Rebecca and I are sisters but that's about all we have in common. Rebecca had straight jet-black that fell a little past her shoulders and bangs that went right to her silvery blue eyes. She was constantly being chased after by boys. Rebecca was the beautiful one. I was just Katie.

Just Katie. Simply Katherine. Whereas Rebecca was gorgeous and had an aura of sunshine like our mother, I had the misfortune of receiving my father's features. Curly blonde hair and greenish blue eyes. I used to love him a lot. I would've never thought he would leave us but I guess people change and they sure as hell can surprise us.

Slipping on a pair of black ballet flats, I headed for the door. I was not looking forward to hanging out with my sister and her friend Darlene—boy, was that girl dreadful—as they flirted with guys who wanted nothing to do with them. Honestly, there were so many guys that would kill to go out with my sister. I had no idea why she always went for the ones who could care less. And I did not need her getting romantic with my friends. Ponyboy didn't even date girls his own age, never mind a senior. Nor was he the type of guy to meet a girl and automatically want to hook up with her and I knew that's what my sister was looking for.

I switched off the lights in my room and started for the kitchen, finding my mom at the table with a plate of steaming blueberry muffins.

"Well, look who's actually dressed," my mother commented as I slid into a chair by the table and stole a muffin.

I bit into it before replying. "I'd really rather go to the movies with you. Do I have to go with Beck and Darlene? I cannot stand—"

"Come on, Katie. Try to enjoy yourself tonight. You're only going to see a movie. How much can go on at a movie?"

"Mom, you know all they're going to do is talk about boys and how hot Elvis is and…"

"Katie, please," my mother said, untying the apron from around her waist and draping over the back of a chair.

"Katherine, are you ready to leave yet?" Rebecca yelled before I had a chance to reply.

"She's in here, darling!" my mom answered for me. I took another bite of my muffin and left it on the table, reluctantly heading for the front door to find Rebecca, car keys in hand.

"Love you, Mom!" Rebecca shouted and practically ran out the door.

"Be safe, girls! Rebecca, keep an eye on your sister! Don't stay out too late! I love you!"

As soon as we got into the Chevy, Rebecca was making the tires screech against the street and speeding away from our little house and towards the drive-in. The Monkees blasted out of the radio and Rebecca talentlessly sang along to each line.

"I thought love was only true in fairytales! Meant for someone else but not for me! Love was out to get me—c'mon Katherine, sing along—it seemed! Disappointment haunted all my dreeeeeeaams!"

I couldn't help but laugh at her awful voice. Mine wasn't any better but nevertheless, I joined in for the chorus.

"And then I saw her face! Now I'm a believer! Not a trace of doubt in my mind! I'm in love! Ooooooohh," we sang, cracking up. "Now I'm a believer, I couldn't leave her if I triiiiiied!"

"That's the spirit, Katherine," Rebecca said, smiling genuinely. It was rare that my sister and I had moments like this. We never understood much about each other but there were little times like this when we could connect. This time just happened to be with awful singing voices.

"Hey, Beck?"

"Yeah?"

"How come you don't just call me Katie, anymore?" I asked. She always had up until a few months ago.

She shrugged. "How many times have I told you not to call me Beck anymore?"

And like that the feeling was gone.

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**A/N: **Alright, that's the first chapter. I usually don't like author's notes but let me know how this went. Do you like Katie? Rebecca? Sorry there wasn't much mention of the greasers and there was no action but there will definitely be more known characters in the next chapter. Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _The Outsiders_.

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The drive-in was just starting to fill up when we got there. Rebecca managed to get a good spot before too many people could pile into the joint. Some Elizabeth Taylor movie was playing.

"Alright, Katherine," Rebecca said, turning to face me as she lowered the volume of the radio until it couldn't be heard at all. "You can either get in the back or go sit in the seats up front. Darlene's dad will be dropping her off soon."

I turned my head so she wouldn't see me roll my eyes and left without another word. It wasn't worth the argument.

"Meet me back at the car by ten, Katherine!" she yelled after me but I didn't spare her a glance.

I made my way past the arriving cars and towards the concession stand where a line was starting to form. Mostly Socs.

I sighed but waited in line, crossing my arms over my chest after making sure I had a quarter for a Pepsi. I can't stand most Socs. They don't bother me so much but I hate the way they treat greasers. Greasers aren't always any better. Most of them go around looking for trouble.

Basically, Tulsa is divided into three groups. You'll hear all the time about the Socs and the greasers but there's another part that doesn't get talked about so often, middle class. We don't exactly have a name; we're just there. We're too rich to be greasers and too poor to be Socs. I wouldn't exactly call my family well off, though. Rebecca likes to pretend we have a lot more money to spend than we really do but we live closer to the East side of town than the West. If my family had to be placed in either category, we'd definitely be greasers but Rebecca would tell you different. The only reason Rebecca liked being in the middle class was because she could get away with dating Socs and greasers.

I've got a few friends from the West side of town but most of them are too stuck up for me to handle so I tend to stay away from them. There are a lot of greasers I can't stand, too, but I've learned over the years that greasers are a lot easier to be friends with than Socs. Rebecca would disagree.

"What can I get for you, Miss?" the boy at the counter asked.

"I'll just have a Pepsi," I said, sliding the quarter across the counter. He handed me a cup and I mumbled a quick thanks before making my way out.

Sipping my Pepsi, I headed for the rows of seats near the front of the drive-in. The movie was starting and it was getting chilly despite the month. I pulled my sweater tighter around me and sat down by myself.

It hadn't been five minutes into the movie before somebody sat next to me. I was a little annoyed that somebody would decide to sit in the seat right beside me when there were plenty of empty chairs all around us until I turned my head to look at the person.

"Ponyboy?" I smiled.

"Katie, I thought that was you. You don't mind if we sit here, do ya?" Ponyboy asked, and I realized on the other side of him was another boy. I knew who he was without a second glance, Sodapop Curtis, aka the topic of roughly half my sister's conversations. Boy, did she love those Curtis boys. I wondered if she'd ever had a decent conversation with any of them when I remembered Ponyboy had asked me a question.

"Oh," I snapped back to reality. "No, not at all. I got kicked out of my sister's car." I almost laughed as I pictured Rebecca and Darlene peering through car windows in search of the boy sitting next to me.

"Same thing kinda happened to us," Sodapop said, leaning over his brother. He stuck a hand out for me to shake. "I'm Sodapop by the way, Ponyboy's big brother."

I shook his hand and smiled politely, like I didn't already know. "Katie," I replied.

"Yeah," Ponyboy started, "we were with Steve Randle—you know him, don't ya? —when his girlfriend decided to show up."

"Turns out ol' Stevie would rather hang with Evie than us," Sodapop laughed.

I giggled a little as the movie started. I couldn't pay much attention to it, though because Sodapop kept trying to talk to Ponyboy.

"Sodapop, will you shut up?" Pony whispered. "I'm tryna watch the movie."

"Yeah, yeah, sure, Pony—hey, check out that car back there! Boy, that is one—"

He was interrupted by Pony standing up abruptly and walking past me. He flopped down in the seat on my other side and turned his attention back towards the movie.

"Fine, I'll just sit next to Katie here," Sodapop said, sliding into the seat beside me. "Hey, you're last name's Bailey right?"

I nodded.

"Don't be afraid to tell him to shut his trap," Ponyboy said to me and I laughed a little.

Sodapop acted as if he hadn't heard his brother and continued. "Your mom comes to the DX for gas. That's where I work. I think I've seen you there a few times after school with Ponyboy."

I nodded again.

"So you must be Rebecca's little sister, huh? She comes by all the time."

That was true. Rebecca loved to fill up mom's tank just so she could go check out the guys who worked at the station.

"Funny, you don't look too much alike," he said.

"Neither do you and Ponyboy," I pointed out.

He seemed to consider that point. "I guess that's true. I always have been the better looking one," Soda said the last part a little louder, ensuring that Ponyboy would hear him.

"Shut up, Soda. This is why I can't watch movies with you."

I laughed lightly as the brother's talked on either side of me. It was really awkward just sitting between them like that.

"Wait, why did he do that?" Soda asked, referring to the actor in the movie.

Ponyboy smirked. "Maybe if you'd been paying attention, you'd know."

"C'mon, pony," Sodapop argued. "You know I got the shortest attention span in Oklahoma." He proved his point to be true when he completely dropped the topic and looked directly at me again. "Hey, Katie, why're you so quiet?"

I didn't get a chance to answer. "Maybe because she actually enjoys watching movies. Maybe that's the reason she came here," Ponyboy said for me. I didn't tell him he was wrong. "Seems odd, don't it Soda? Coming to a drive-in to watch a movie?" Ponyboy's voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"Maybe the girl can speak for herself, Ponykid," Sodapop said. I decided not to mention that I could've said that myself.

During this entire time the boys had been talking, I'd spent my time sipping my soda so at this point, I was already out.

I stood up, making both of the brothers look up at me. "I'm gonna go get another soda. You guys want anything?"

Sodapop looked up at me, fake hurt in his eyes. "Another Soda? Why would you need another Soda when you got me?"

I raised an eyebrow at him, a trait I call a talent but Rebecca calls annoying.

"I'm just messin' witcha. I'll cut Ponyboy a break and go with ya though," he said, standing up.

"Please do," Ponyboy muttered as we started for the concession stand.

"So you're in Ponyboy's classes at school?"

"Yeah, we were lab partners in science. That's how we met," I answered.

"You like school?"

I thought for a second, wondering if this was some kind of trick question. "I guess so."

"I hated it."

"You're a junior, aren't you?"

"Should be but I dropped out last year."

"Really? How come?" I didn't regret the question until after he answered.

"Started working full-time after my parents past."

There was quiet after that. I wasn't sure if I should say sorry or change the subject so I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to come up with something to fill the empty hole that had enveloped between us.

"Ponyboy sure likes school," he said. "He must with all those A's he brings home. You guys good friends?"

"Yeah, I'd say so."

"Neither of you talk very much. Do you just sit in silence when you're together?"

I smiled a little. "I talk plenty," I replied. "You might not want to get me started. Most people say I never shut up."

"Well, it's nice to get an answer outta ya," he smirked. There was a little bit of silence between us before he spoke again. "Hey, we're having a party at our house this weekend for the fourth of July. You interested or you got other plans?"

I looked down at my feet as we approached the line and smiled. "Sure, I'd love to," I answered. I was a little surprised at the invitation coming from Sodapop and at such a spur of the moment like it had just occurred to him but I didn't doubt that it had.

"Cool. You know, I always did think Pony was good at picking his friends."

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**A/N: **Hey sorry this is still pretty short. I don't particularly love the writing in this chapter but I wanted to at least post something before the weekend. Let me know how it's going, if you've got any tips, if there's anything that needs to be fixed, etc. I'm always open to criticism. Thanks for reading ;)


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